The Realities Of Reality Part Iii Impacts Of Speed And Time Optimization On Reality

The main theme of this book is the impacts of speed and time optimization on reality, or more precisely on our modern society. But first, it sets the background by exploring the physics behind the concepts of speed and time, how they came about, how we became aware of them, and how did the new world of speed emerge, and why does it seem to be inescapable? It explores the speed of light and the speed of sound by linking them to our environment. It introduces the notion of Arrow of time or entropy, which grows from the past to the present, is expected to keep growing in the future, and hypothesizes that this is perhaps why our craving for speed and time optimization is here to stay with no end in sight. An important point discussed is that because of memories and experiences, people may choose to live either in the past, present, or future, which leads to the notions of presentism and eternalism. The book argues that while for presentists only the present is real, for eternalists both the past, present, and future are equally real. The book makes the case about speed and time optimization as a legacy of modernity by laying out the differences between modernism, modernization, and modernity itself. It shows how modernity is all about the now or the present, rather than the past and, how, as such, it’s all about the new. So then, the changes that are now happening in our modern world can be traced back to a segment of history that dates back to the beginning of modernity, that is, which began with the Protestant Reformation and, is now rapidly approaching closure in the world of today’s extreme finance. It argues about the technological implications of speed and time in the 21st century. It shows how technology has become an integral part of human existence and that it is inconceivable one can even think of escaping it. This Part III of the series shows the link between high-speed trading and faster connectivity and faster computers. It shows how, thanks to the Internet, information became freely accessible and is spreading faster and faster. It shows how supercomputers not only allow people to address the biggest and most complex problems, they also allow people to solve problems faster, even those that could fit on servers or clusters of PCs. This rapid time to solution is critical in some aspects of emergency preparedness and national defense, where the solutions produced are only valuable if they can be acted on in a timely manner. Finally, the social and psychological implications of speed and time in the 21st century are also addressed by considering the upside and the downside of moving fast, meaning leading a fast-paced life. The argument presented in the book is based on the analysis and the importance of stress in our daily lives and also explains the notion of chronobiology. Our biological clocks drive our circadian rhythms. An interesting point is that blind people may not perceive time the same way as the non-blind. Furthermore, the book shows how we perceive time differently as we age compared to when we were young. It also makes the case for the perception of time in dreams and in real life. Speed and time optimization may be deceiving, according to this Part III of the series. This can be proven by questions such as, (1) Is going over the speed limit really worth it? and (2) Is the saying “Slow down to go faster” a paradox?

Digital communication has altered the flow of global information, evolved consumer values and changed consumption practices worldwide. New Perspectives on Critical Marketing and Consumer Society provides an illuminating, challenging and thought providing guide for all upper-level students of marketing, branding and consumer behaviour.

The Gilded Age: a Tale of Today is a depiction of those crimes committed in the United States in the late 19th Century which so frequently went unpunished and of the casualties which ought to be called crimes. The description severely winds up with the satirical verdict “No one to blame.” The project of Colonel Sellers for raising mules for the Southern markets is a satire upon the fraudulency and soap-bubble speculation of capitalists. The work is full of hints and descriptions that take their rise from the frauds and outrages under which the country had plagued for so many years. Family, social and national questions are all cleverly satirized. The monument erected to the memory of the Father of his country – a monument begun, but, of course, never completed – calls forth some strokes of bitter but not unjust humor. The means by which preferment is obtained in Washington are amply satirized. There are two views of this book: favorable and unfavorable. This essay considers both. For instance, while some critics think that it is incoherent, others suggests that the narrative departs from the traditional methods of concluding and is thereby more natural than most novels because every chapter of the book bears the marks of both writers and is therefore a novelty in its way. In this essay I argue that The Gilded Age is essentially a satire and should always be accepted as such. Of course, other good contemporary books did not make it to our time in terms of popularity and legacy. The Gilded Age did. We talk, write, and read about it to this day. Evidently, it is an integral part of the annals of American literature and fully contributes to Mark Twain’s reputation, legacy, and lasting influence.

This article is an argument against the US electoral college as a concept. It looks at the policies and failures of the five electoral college-elected presidents – three of them in the 19th century and the other two in the 21st century. It explores the electoral college’s modus operandi and its hindrance to American democracy to deduct its irrelevance. Mr. Dufour looks at people’s expectations from democracy in the 21st century as well as the meaning of American democracy, which is linked to the American dream to infer the polite fiction nature of the electoral college. The merit of the article lies within the facts it explores and considers as irrefutable evidence against any kind of compatibility between the electoral college and progressivism.

Westward expansion has always been more important to China than eastward expansion because except for the Korean peninsula and Japan, China is looking at the vast Pacific Ocean. The west has always been and continues to be China’s lifeline. China has come a long way. Civilizations rise and fall. They come and go. But the Chinese civilization is one of the oldest and most stable. The Chinese engaged in world trade way before America was even discovered. They did that thanks to the Silk Road, which was an ancient caravan route linking Xi'an in central China with the eastern Mediterranean. It was established during the period of Roman rule in Europe, and took its name from the silk which was brought to the west from China . Although trading with the West was quintessential, China has always sought to retain their own economic model. When the four leading powers of the West – England, France, Spain, and Portugal - decided to build their politico-economic empires on triangular trade or face failure, China was thriving, as it had been for millennia. But World War II dealt a serious blow to China’s economy as the United states emerged as the only superpower on both the political and economic levels and put shortly after a policy of containment towards China. That, along with past failures, exacerbated if not China’s resentment at least its mistrust towards the West and, especially towards the United States.

This comprehensive textbook offers a scientifically sound and at the same time practical introduction to Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR). Readers will gain the theoretical foundation needed to design, implement or enhance VR/AR systems, evaluate and improve user interfaces and applications using VR/AR methods, assess and enrich user experiences, and develop a deeper understanding of how to apply VR/AR techniques. Whether utilizing the book for a principal course of study or reference reading, students of computer science, education, media, natural sciences, engineering and other subject areas can benefit from its in-depth content and vivid explanation. The modular structure allows selective sequencing of topics to the requirements of each teaching unit and provides an easy-to-use format from which to choose specific themes for individual self-study. Instructors are provided with extensive materials for creating courses as well as a foundational text upon which to build their advanced topics. The book enables users from both research and industry to deal with the subject in detail so they can properly assess the extent and benefits of VR/AR deployment and determine required resources. Technology enthusiasts and professionals can learn about the current status quo in the field of VR/AR and interested newcomers can gain insight into this fascinating world. Grounded on a solid scientific foundation, this textbook, addresses topics such as perceptual aspects of VR/AR, input and output devices including tracking, interactions in virtual worlds, real-time aspects of VR/AR systems and the authoring of VR/AR applications in addition to providing a broad collection of case studies.

Virtual and Augmented Reality have existed for a long time but were stuck to the research world or to some large manufacturing companies. With the appearance of low-cost devices, it is expected a number of new applications, including for the general audience. This book aims at making a statement about those novelties as well as distinguishing them from the complexes challenges they raise by proposing real use cases, replacing those recent evolutions through the VR/AR dynamic and by providing some perspective for the years to come.

Volume I, entitled “Augmentation of Brain Functions: Brain-Machine Interfaces”, is a collection of articles on neuroprosthetic technologies that utilize brain-machine interfaces (BMIs). BMIs strive to augment the brain by linking neural activity, recorded invasively or noninvasively, to external devices, such as arm prostheses, exoskeletons that enable bipedal walking, means of communication and technologies that augment attention. In addition to many practical applications, BMIs provide useful research tools for basic science. Several articles cover challenges and controversies in this rapidly developing field, such as ways to improve information transfer rate. BMIs can be applied to the awake state of the brain and to the sleep state, as well. BMIs can augment action planning and decision making. Importantly, BMI operations evoke brain plasticity, which can have long-lasting effects. Advanced neural decoding algorithms that utilize optimal feedback controllers are key to the BMI performance. BMI approach can be combined with the other augmentation methods; such systems are called hybrid BMIs. Overall, it appears that BMI will lead to many powerful and practical brain-augmenting technologies in the future.